Science is not Weird – It’s your Job Major

Welcome to the sixteenth post in the ProDev2Go Major Series. This series focuses on the transition from Company Grade to Field Grade Officer.

Here is a secret that nobody tells you when you make Major- You’re now a Scientist.

The Commander leads the operation process, (Plan, Prepare, Execute– Through Visualization, Description, and Direction) but you as a field grade must provide the tools and data necessary for the commander to make decisions. While all of our Warfighting Functions (WfF) are important, we encourage you to start with these four WfFs to enable the Art of Command through battlefield science: Intelligence, Fires , Mission Command, and Sustainment. The science of intelligence is critical to collection, understanding, and decision making. Inspect or verify all INTEL efforts to ensure your PIRs will be answered. Don’t sleep until you are sure. Next, dig into the science of fires. Observers, airspace, gun target lines, 1/3 –2/3, radars, ground clearance, digital networks, and ammunition management. You must ensure these are straight for both artillery (Lightning) and mortars (Thunder). Use Tactical and technical rehearsals to prove common understanding. Inspect your mission command network after fires. Ensure upper and lower TI networks are stable and verify a PACE plan for all systems. You must ensure a trusted human visits each RETRANS location to ensure success. Finally, focus on the science of sustainment. When will you need ammunition, medical care, fuel, and maintenance? Focus on the timing of sustainment during the battle and during the unit’s transitions to ensure success.

If you as a Major can focus on the science of Intelligence, Fires , Mission Command, and Sustainment you and your unit will be successful. Success in these areas will enable movement and maneuver, protection and engagement– We guarantee it !